I also detest menu planning. I am always on the hunt for new recipes or menu ideas, trying to never serve the same thing within a two-week period. That takes time. A lot of time.By the time I gather all the ideas (including vegetarian recipes for Alexis), organize them into the menu, and create the shopping list, I've lost a lot of time better spent on other things.I have resolved both problems with eMeals.Mind you, I tried eMeals in 2009. While I enjoyed the concept, it didn't work for me at the time because the "classic" foods being offered on the menu simply didn't work for us. I'm southern and we just eat differently here. So I left eMeals behind.Last month I gave emails a second look and I'm so glad I did.

How the eMeals App Saves Time

I no longer have to hunt for recipes. Each week a menu, complete with grocery list, is delivered to my email. I do save these menus to my computer, but I'm not big on printing, especially if there may be meals I want to skip.Enter the eMeals app.The app is the perfect solution for me!

Each Wednesday, I get a brand new menu.

The app shows me two weeks of menus at a time.I simply tap on the week I want to view and...

Voila! Meals!

I tap the meal I want to see and...

..I am shown the recipes for that meal.

I can also see how long it will take me to make it.

If I don't want a particular meal for any reason,

I scroll to the bottom and tap SKIP MEAL.

The ingredients are then removed from my shopping list.

This is the shopping list. Everything is already categorized.

A lot of pre-made shopping lists will leave you backtracking all over the store. That doesn't happen with eMeals.

No hunting for recipe ideas.

No writing down all the ingredients I need.

No creating a menu.

No creating a shopping list.

No running all over the store in search of something forgotten.

Think of how much time is saved with this app! I love it!

How eMeals Saves Money at the Grocery Store

eMeals allows me to continue cooking from scratch, which is always less expensive. Going to the store with a plan (the shopping list) reduces wasteful spending. I just stick to my list.

Now, I don't shop at chain stores, so I'm spending $60-70 each week to feed four people. Even so, eMeals will save you money at a chain grocer, too.In fact, when you sign up with eMeals, you can choose your grocery store (ALDI, Costco, Kroger, Publix, Safeway, Target, Walmart, Whole Foods) and eMeals will match your menus up with the sales at that store. How convenient is that?

eMeals Has a Plan for Your Style of Eating

The reason I left eMeals five years ago was because the foods/menus didn't match up to our style of eating. There was only one menu plan at that time. That has all changed, my friends.

Do you see that? I had a difficult time choosing, to tell you the truth. I could have gone with clean eating or natural/organic. Diabetic or low carb would be good, too.

In the end, I chose vegetarian because that's where I struggle. I never know what to make for Alexis. Vegetarian is going to be healthy for all of us and it works for diabetes. So it's all good. If the other family members want meat, I can always make something and add it to the menu for that night.

But you know what? I haven't had to do that. The vegetarian meals have been so delicious and filling that not one person has requested something additional. The only requests are for seconds.

Try as I may, I can't convey how much easier life is now. I no longer find myself fretting at noon about what's for dinner at 6. Think about that: Half of my day focused on what to make, preparing to cook it and then actually cooking it. Now I just open at app at 5pm and make the food.

This sounds like a great tool for anyone! I will have to look into emeals.Thank you for stopping by the Thoughtful Spot Weekly Blog Hop this week. We hope to see you drop by our neck of the woods next week!

Does this help you plan all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and snacks? I've looked at it several times in the past, but never made the jump to purchase it. I also hate how much time I spend menu planning.

They do have breakfast and lunch as "add-ons" for a couple of dollars extra per month. I added the lunches. They're not vegetarian, but that really does work for my non-vegetarian child.

An aside, but somewhat related, the other day I clicked the "change my plan" link to see what a paleo menu looked like (trying to heal some problems I have), and it changed my lunches to paleo. It doesn't do this for all the menus, just paleo.